Lamp socket



Sept. 23, 1930. l v. 'r. HOUGHTON 1,775,506

LAMP SOCKET Filed April 13. 1928 7." mh'si rz gv ATTORNEYS invention relates o sockets of that type from Patented Sept. 23, 1930 fi'VERNON T; nooqnrolv, F aonxvrnmi, NEW YORK a LAMP SOCKET hpplication filed April 13,

t to electric lamp t which alamp canno t readily be stolen or removed ,by unauthoriaed persons; l t

' ;Lamp' sockets of this type have been proposed-inwhichthe threaded shell or socket enlployed 130 hold the shell, l0.

' o if an attem t is made to remove, the lamp the proper, into which the base of.- the lamp screws is swiveled: ,Ratchetmechanism is stationarywhen the lamp is inserted in'the threaded shell, but

shell; turns with it th u s preventing removal of'thejlamp from the'shell.,jSpecial provisioni's' m deforremoving thelamp byau} thorized persons "Whenitis a such'as akey adapted to be'inserted intothe desired to do so,

socket to operate certain mechanism for lockingthe'threaded shell against rotation when it is" desired; to remove the lam'p. Sockets ,of this type have not been wholly satisfactory because their construction departs too. much from the usual'st'andard type of socket now in'use whichisfquite, simple and practical.

The alterations whichithas been necessary to make in the a simple standard socket, in order to produce a socketiof'the type described I; reducethepracticability of thesocket. I

' .f Other lamp sockets have, been proposed in .30

above have been too expensive and-too far which: the. lamp maybe locked in the socket by means of a set screw. 7 While this type may belsimpler in construction than the type described above, nevertheless, its design departs 'materiallyfrom the standard simple socket.

' Amongflits other disadvantages isithe fact thatiitis not entirelyreliable as the bite of the set screw on thethreaded base of the lampmay in some cases beloosened simply by the effort used inattempting to remove the lamps f I X Many other "attempts have been made-to 7 provide allainp socket from which the lamp cannot readily be removed, but so far has been sufficiently practical to bring that type of socket into momma; limited use.

Themainobject of this invention is to overcome the disadvantages of proposed lamp socket'srof the foregoingtype and to make available a'lampsocket of this type so 'thatit can swivel, vdirection being'to supplement'the improved I serted' in the shell struction'that onl 1 tion of the outer s none which is simple in construction, lessexpensive to manufacture, andlmo'repractical'than lamp sockets of this type heretofore proposed. W I 1 i a t I An additional object of the invention is to provide means forfmo'unting the threaded shell so a further object in this swivelfmo'unting with simplified means [for holding the threaded shell} against I'rotation in one direction to permit the lamp to be in- ,while p'ermitting it to rotate freely in the'opposite directi'on to pre- Vent removal of the lamp from the shell, W Itisalsoan object of theinvention to provide a lamp socket of the swiveled-sliell type described above, in which means for'opermitting removal of the lamp by authorizjedpefrsons when desired is of such simplified con a very slight modificaell of the; standard lamp socket is necessary' 'A nlamp' socket constructed in accordance with the invention is'illustratcdin theaccompanying drawingsinwhich vFig. 1 is a side elevation partly in section of the improved socket; f

Fig. 2 is a plan View illustrating how the swivel mounting of Fig. 2 can be m ade from a stamping if desired;

a lamp socket ofthe'swiveled-shell "type described above having simplified less expensive and more efficient 'and'practical Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the com- I mounting for the threaded ing modifications of theconstruction oi the outer shell. i r

The preferred form of the socket showninr the drawings comprises an outer shell 1 which is of the usual or standard construction eX-- cept for the slightmodific-ation to be hereinafterw referred to. "The shell is lined with the customary sleeve 2 of insulating mateapplied to the upper end of the shell 1' "rial. The upper part of the shell houses the usual porcelain block 3 or equivalent support for the internalpa-rts'. A cap iis detachably the usual manner.

Within the lower part of the shell 1 is located the threaded shell-yorsocket pro-per 5, Ordinarily this shell would rigidly 'secured to' the porcelain 'lolo'ck 3' Jby'ineans of screws 6' but accordingto this'inventi'on So as to form; a tongue 9 whichfis bentjinwardly to aslight extent sett r it has aten'd} encyto project'towardstheaxis offthe ri rg;

P b nz gfo th i and mayb s ped The entire ring structure shown in Fig; 2? may be made of thin sheetmetalsilohas pl es;

1110116 Piece i t p f rum as howed-n rig;

2'and thenvcu'rved to its ring for-m jthe ends of thestrip beingunited by solder or the v like; According to this'procedure the lugs "7 at this stage would be standing vertically upward; The upper edge or the threaded shell 5 has'an outwardly'extending flange 10,

The ring shown'in Fig; 2 is just large enough toreceive 'the'shell'5 so that the shell will i turn freely in the ring; In assemblingthe deviceltlieshell may be passed downwardly gages with the upper edge of the ring as shown in Fig. 1. The lugs (may then be bent inwardly tothe'position shown in Fig.

I 1 2 and then secured to the block 3 by'me'ans' .of screws 6. This attaches the whole assem bly to the porcelain block 3.

An alternative way of assembling the shell 5 in the ring structure isas follows: Before securing the ends of the ring together as by means of solder,- the lugs 7 maybe bent inwardly to their final position after which 1 the shell may be slipped sidewiseintojthu 7 ring and'the extremities ofv the ring thereafter soldered together.

The part ofthe shell 5which lies under the ring is provided with an opening 11 preferably shaped asshown in Figlix 'When a lamp is inserted into the threaded shell 5 the shell will turn until the opening- 11.v reaches the tongue 9; The end of the tongue, due .to its tendency to incline towards the axis of the ring, slide into the opening 11 and when the straight edge ll' of the openingreaches the base of the tongue the shell i can turn no further. The lamp may then be screwed all the way into the socket. -When an attempt is made to removethe lamp the shell 5, due to the friction between itand;

the baseofthe lampgwill turn with the lamp and the lampv cannot be removed. Thetongue?) and the'openin'g" 11 thereforevconi st tete simple ut efiectiver mechanism for'holding the shell 5 stationary when the lamp-isinserted in the socket; but it permits the shell 5 to turn with the lamp when anattemp-t is' made to'remove the lamp.

In rderto permit remoyal by aut d person 'th ower p t oft-h s e 1 is pr ed wi h least e? pai Of diametrically opposite openings or slots12. These openings permit the use of aspecial tool 13 shown inFigSL' 51 and 6 having inwardly extending{extremities 13 v which may beinsertedin the openings112.- By inserting the'extremities 13of-thejt0'ol in the openings 12 {and 'applying' a gripping fpressure to the i ends o'f'the tool the insulating material 2 is pressed againstftheshell the sliell is ff-rictionally'jheld from turning. -When the shell s s e df omturn ng h p may e adi y remo y u n ng itfi'ni' oun er clockwise direction. If desired the openings 12 intheshell maybe normally closed by a rotatable ringll shown in'F-igl 7.1 This ring may have pair of openings, one of which is shown at 15',fwhich areadapted to register with the openings 12 in; the shell when the,

ring is turned; This in 'simply constitutes aclosure for the openings '12. [It is not essential andinay be discardedaltogether, In- I 1 stead of providingfthe shell with slots fgthe ind show 8 12 t e l maybe w ake d as by meansof slots 16 (Fig. 8) to provide depressible portions'fl whi m y be Press6d I inwardly by theextremities 13 on the special tool..- When; these "pOI'tiQnsflfZ are pressed tionary while the'lamp is'rem v' d;

1' Ifde'sired the ratchet mechanism -11 may bef-omitted altogether so that the shell '5 will swivel in both directions. In this case whenl'it is desired to insert alamp intothe -1 10 inwardly the, shell .5 is frictionally held sta: i

soc-ket the shell 5 maybe held stationary by the useof the special tool '13.; Thisarrangee nient would providean extremely p t socket but it wouldbe necessary to use 'the' specialtool whenever itis desired to insertaf i lamp-inthe socket 1 I p V,

-The;circuit connectionstothelamp-are not shown ,in the drawings nor is the switch mechanism completelyshown because: they form no part ofthe, invention." It will be understood, however, that one-for" the screws 6 is electrically QnIieCtedwith one side oi the i i nd urrent is he efo cond c ed to the ng a d then t j ysh l5 Th tendency of the tongue to press inwardly,

thereby preserving-a good electrical contact between-the tongueand the shell (when the tongue is "not in the opening 1 1), and also causing it to maintain its tendency to drop or slide into the opening 11 upon clockwise standard lamp socket.

ance is practically the same as the outward rotation of the shell.

It will now be seen that the improved socket does not, depart materially from the appearance of an ordinary lamp socket ex- .cept for the provision of the. openings 12.

These openings permit the lamp to be readily removed by authorized persons and fconstitute extremely simple means for the purpose. They may socket simply by a drilling operation' The tool employed for permitting removal of the lamp is very simple in construction and may .tion of this and at the same be made at small cost. As one tool may be used'with a large number of sockets the tool may be disregarded in considering the simplicity, cost of manufacture and practicability of the socket.

7 There is only one additional part required in the socket, namely the ring in which the shell 5 is swiveled, and thereforethe socket may be manufactured at a cost which is only slightly in excess of that of the standard socket. The construction of the threaded shell 5 departs slightly from the construethe standard threaded shell due to the provision of the flange 10 and the opening 11, but these may be provided at slight expense. 7

- Either the ratchet mechanism on the one hand or the openings 12 and tool 13 on the other hand constitute improved and simple means for enabling the lamp to be inserted in a socket of the swiveled-shell type. When the openings 12 and tool 13 are employed for enabling insertion of the lamp they at once constitute simple means for accomplishing time constitute simple means for permitting the lamp to be removed by authorized persons. The ring constitutes simple and inexpensive means for swiveling the shell and the ratchet mechanismis of the utmost simplicity, but is entirely efiective and eflicient in its operation. So far as the main feature of the invention is concerned, i. e., the frictional holding of Its outward appearbe formed in the shell of the the inner shell stationary while the lamp is removed, anyv suitable means may be employed as a swivel mounting .for the inner shell. 3 Moreover, so far as thismain feature of theinvention is concerned, it is immaterial whether the lamp is held in the inner shell by means of threads or by some equivalent means. The essential thing is that the inner shell or lamp-holding member should require a turning movement of the lamp in one direction to insertit in the lamp holding member and. a turning movement of the lamp in the opposite direction toremove it from the lamp-holding memberand that the lamp-holding memberbe mounted to rotate in at least saidlast named direction. It is in connectionwith such a general arrangement that .theprovisions for, allow: ing frictional holding or gripping of the lamp holding member are useful and advantageous.

I claim: i 1. A lamp socket comprising an outerjshell,

an interior swiveled threaded shell, and

frictionally held against rotation.

l 2. Alamp socket comprising an outer shell, an inner threaded shell mounted for rotation, and an insulating sleeve between the means whereby said threaded shell may be outer and inner shells, the outer shellbeing' slotted to permit the insulating sleeve to be pressed against the inner shell to frictionally hold it against rotation. I

3. A lamp socket comprising an outer shell,

an inner threaded shell mountedi'or rotation,

, tation.

4. A lamp, socket comprising an outer shell, an inner threaded shell mounted for rotation, an insulating sleeve between the outer and inner shells, and ratchet mechanism for holding the inner shell stationary when a lamp is screwed into it but permitting rotation of the inner shell when it is attempted to remove the lamp from the socket, the outer shell having a pair of diametrically opposite openings to permit the insulating sleeve to be pressed against the inner shell to frictionally hold it against rotation to allow authorized removal of the lamp. 1

5. A lamp socket comprising an outer shell, an inner threaded shell, an insulatingblock in the outer shell, and a swivel mounting for an interior lamp-holding member which requiresa turning movement of the lamp in ,.one direction to insert the lamp therein,and

4. r v r r 1,776,506

r A'lamp socket comprising an outer shell,

an inner threaded shell, an insulating-block in theouter shell, and a swivel mountingfor the inner shell comprising a tubular shaped ring supported by said insulating block and encircling the; inner shell, thewalls of said 7 I ring being substantially straight and paral "lel with -the:wa'lls-of the inner shell and a shoulder on saidinner she'll extending'over the upper edge ofsaid ring to rotatably support the inner'shell. V

7., A lamp socket'comprising an outer shell,

which requires a turning movement of the lamp in the opposite direction to remove the lamp therefrom, said lamp-holding member being mounted to rotate with the lamp in at least saidlast nameddirection,'and'means whereby said lamp-holding member may be frictionally held against rotation.

8. A lamp socket comprising an outer. shell,

i an interior lamp-holding member which re;-

, quires-aturning movement of the lamp in "one direction 'to insert the'lamptl'i'erein, and

slotted to permit the insulatingsleeve to be pressed against the lamp-holding member to frictionally hold it against rotation.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature:

- VERNON, T. HOUGHTON: 

